What's In A Name

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

by Greg Kishbaugh

Packaging markets continue to evolve and shift as do the ways in which consumers interact with the packaging of their favorite brands. One major change that CPGs and converters are beginning to address in a much more aggressive manner is consumers’ increasing demand for a more personalized approach to packaging. Consumers, particularly millennials, enjoy a much more customized experience. Companies that tap into this need benefit from millennials’ enthusiasm for spreading pleasant consumer interactions through social media. Because younger generations embrace individuality, the increasing use of personalized packaging speaks to them in ways that traditional packaging does not. “It makes people feel like the brand is more about them than about the brand,” said Brian Rafferty, Global Director of Research Insights for branding firm Siegel+Gale. Coca-Cola’s ubiquitous “Share a Coke” campaign, which featured more than 1,000 popular names on bottles, was a huge success for the company. After a decades-long slide in sales, Coca-Cola saw a 2.5 percent increase in sales, with the campaign generating more than 1.14 billion impressions across social media!

Other major CPGs have recently announced attempts to tap into this same packaging trend. Bud Light is introducing cans designed for each individual NFL team and Snickers is rolling out packaging that replaces the candy bar’s name with terms such as “Cranky” and “Sleepy” in the brand’s same recognizable logo. The Admap Prize, which annually encourages and rewards excellence in strategic thinking in brand communications, is acknowledging this powerful new trend with its 2016 competition. The company is offering a $5,000 cash prize to the best essay addressing the subject, “How should marketing adapt to the era of personalization.” Clearly this is a trend that will gain steam in coming years, opening up a host of challenges — and opportunities — for converters.